The Indian Naval Destroyer INS Kochi responded to an attack by Houthi rebels on the Panama-flagged tanker MV Andromeda Star PM in the Red Sea, ensuring the safety of all 30 crew members including 22 Indians. The Navy conducted aerial recce and deployed an EOD team for a residual risk assessment.
INDIA
Indian Naval Destroyer INS Kochi responded to a maritime security incident after an attack on a merchant vessel by Houthi rebels.
The incident involved an attack on Panama-flagged crude oil tanker Merchant Vessel (MV) Andromeda Star PM on 26 April, in the Red Sea.
The Navy said on Sunday that the Indian Mission deployed in the sea responded and all 22 Indian nationals, who were on board the merchant vessel, are safe.
According to the Navy, the MV was intercepted by the Navy ship and an aerial recce by helicopter was undertaken to assess the situation. The EOD team was deployed onboard MV for residual risk assessment.
A total of 30 crew (including 22 Indian nationals) are reported to be safe and the vessel is continuing its scheduled transit to the next port.
The swift action of the Navy ship reiterates the commitment and resolve of the Indian Navy in safeguarding the seafarers plying through the region, an official added.
According to some international reports, the attack on the Andromeda Star was claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels. After the attack, Houthi rebels had stated that the missiles targeted the tanker as part of their ongoing support for Palestinians.
(Except for the headline, this story, from a syndicated feed, has not been edited by Odishatv.in staff)
Greece-Owned Vessel Attacked by Houthi Rebels in the Red Sea
Houthi rebels attacked a Greece-owned vessel in the Red Sea with three anti-ship ballistic missiles and three UAVs on Monday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
There have been no reports of injuries among the crew of MV Cyclades, a Malta-flagged, Greece-owned vessel. The attack happened off the coast of Mokha, Yemen, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.
The ship was damaged in the attack, the UKMTO said, though its crew was safe and heading to its next port of call. The agency urged vessels to exercise caution in the area.
There was “an explosion in close proximity to a merchant vessel,” the UKMTO said. “Vessel and crew are reported safe.”
The vessel with a capacity of 60384 dwt, was built in 2017 and belongs to the Eastern Mediterranean company of Greek shipowner Thanasis Martinou. According to reports, there are no Greeks in the ship’s crew.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack on the Cyclades and targeting the U.S. warships in a statement early Tuesday.
In February another Greek-owned ship was targeted by missiles off the coast of Yemen. A Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier was targeted by missiles in two separate incidents within two minutes while transiting through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, it said.
The bulker was reportedly hit and sustained physical damage on the starboard side
Additionally, CENTCOM forces were able to successfully destroy another Houthi UAV that was on a flight path towards USS Philippine Sea and USS Laboon in the Red Sea. It was also reported that there were no casualties or damages to the merchant vessels from the attack.
Houthi rebels have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping
The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.
The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.
Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.
American officials have speculated the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the US-led campaign against them and after firing drones and missiles steadily for months. However, the rebels have renewed their attacks in the past week. Early Sunday morning, the U.S. military shot down five drones in the air over the Red Sea, its Central Command said.
The drones “presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region,” Central Command said in a statement.
Related: Dramatic Video Surfaces of Houthi Strike on Greek Ship in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis claim attack on Portuguese-flagged ship in Arabian Sea
April 30, 2024
By VOA News
Yemen's Houthi rebels said on Tuesday that they struck a Portuguese-flagged container ship in a drone attack in the Indian Ocean.
The MSC Orion was attacked on Friday, 600 kilometers (372.8 miles) off the coast of Yemen, suggesting the Houthis, or their sponsors in Iran, might have the ability to strike deep into the Arabian Sea. The ship was sailing between the ports of Sines, Portugal, and Salalah, Oman, according to LSEG and other ship-tracking data.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the attack early Tuesday but did not explain why it took days for the group to acknowledge the attack.
The ship "sustained only minor damage and all crew on board are safe," said the Joint Maritime Information Center.
The crew found debris from a drone on board after the attack, the center said.
The MSC Orion has been associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime, controlled by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Group.
The ship was likely targeted because of its "perceived Israeli affiliation," the Joint Maritime Information Center said in a report.
The strike is part of the Houthis' missile campaign against international shipping in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza.
The Yemen-based Houthi militant group fired three ballistic missiles at a Malta-flagged, Greece-owned container ship in the Red Sea on Monday, the U.S. military and maritime security agencies said.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) identified the ship as the MV Cyclades, saying there were no injuries on board.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said an explosion hit close to the ship, causing some damage, but that the ship was safe and heading to its next port of call.
Private security firm Ambrey said the ship was traveling from Djibouti to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and that it was targeted "due to its listed operator's ongoing trade with Israel."
The Houthis have conducted attacks since November in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
CENTCOM also said Monday it destroyed a Houthi aerial drone that was flying toward a U.S. Navy destroyer and a U.S. Navy cruiser in the Red Sea.
"It was determined the UAV presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region," CENTCOM said in a statement.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
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